


The Island Nestled in the Lake

by Kaia_Kasumi



Series: Bartley Collection [1]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Bartley, M/M, bartleyflash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-27
Updated: 2015-02-27
Packaged: 2018-03-15 13:20:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3448658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaia_Kasumi/pseuds/Kaia_Kasumi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes we would see him come out from the hidden interior of his island. For years we had no idea who he was or what he did until Barry Allen. This is Bartley, Barry Allen/Hartley Rathaway. Spread the ship!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Island Nestled in the Lake

Sometimes we would see him come out from the hidden interior of his island. For years we had no idea who he was or what he did until Barry Allen. 

***

Barry moved to the little town in late June, looking for Joe and Iris. Earlier in the year his mother died and his father was hung for her murder. No where left to go, he came to Joe. They were the only “family” Barry had left. Everyone opened him with open arms.

The first time Barry saw the strange man who lived on the island harbored in the middle of the towns lake, he was fishing with Joe. The man had emerged from the green wall of trees, bent down by the shoreline, and he searched the water as if it held something he wanted. Barry’s eyes unconsciously landed on the mans figure. He couldn’t tell much due to the long stretch of water between them.

Barry had asked Joe who he was but got no answer besides a shrug. The man got up as if he heard what Barry said and his gaze stayed on Barry for a moment before he disappeared back into the wall of trees. Joe didn’t seem to notice nor care but Barry… Barry was intrigued. 

The second time Barry saw the stranger, a few weeks later, was when Iris and Eddie dragged him to wade in the lake. The day was warm and the water crispy but perfect. Barry was stripping off his shirt when he got the feeling he was being watched. He glanced towards the isolated island, seeing the man. He was sitting on the shore, feet resting in the lake water, and gaze set on Barry. They watched each other for a minute before Iris shouting pulled Barry out of his trance. His eyes flickered to Iris then back to the man. Or where the man was a second ago. The spot he once occupied now empty, as if he was never there.

The third time he saw the man on the island shore, Barry felt the sudden need to know who he was, what he did, why he was there. But as he asked around the replies he got was unnerving. 

“Who are you talking about?”

“There is no one on that island.”

“He’s no one, don’t meddle in things that,don’t exist.”

The townsfolk acted as if the strange man on the island didn’t exist. He finally had enough of it and demanded Iris to tell the truth. What he got was even worse than the answers he got before.

“No one knows Barry. He just showed up one day. He hasn’t left the island ever and no one has ever talked to him. Mostly everyone acts as if he doesn’t exist. People sometimes say he is a ghost who was damned to be alone and stuck on that island for eternity. Other say that he is a crazy person and he put himself there for god knows what reason. Maybe the island is cursed and the instant someone touches its soil they cannot leave. The thing is, no one knows and since he doesn’t bother us, we don’t care. Barry, if you love this place don’t get yourself involved. It won’t end well.”

After than he didn’t ask anyone about he stranger, didn’t go near the lake, and tried not to think about it. The thing is, the whole situation never went away. Barry didn’t stop thinking about it and didn’t let it go. The townsfolk forgot about his questions. But Barry didn’t. 

The fourth time Barry saw the man was at the break of dawn. He had snuck out of Joe’s house and walked to the lake shore to sneak a peek of the man. At first the island was empty and deserted. However, the man soon emerged from the trees as if he knew the other was waiting for him. Barry sat in the shore for an hour, thinking and watching the strange man. 

The fifth and six time he saw the man was when he snuck from his room to see him. He slowly stared asking questions even if the man could not reply. He started smiling at the stranger and made as much time to visit him as he could.

The twentieth time he visited the man was when he got the idea in his head. They had been “talking” (consisting of terrible Morse code and funny body language) Barry thought it was time. He didn’t want to be so far away from the man. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to touch, feel, and experience things with the man. 

It took a week to plan. He would borrow Joe’s fishing boat, pack some food, clothes, and maybe some books as well. He would take trips back and forth from the island and the town so he could see and talk to the stranger whenever he wanted. It was a great plan. Too bad it wasn’t that simple. 

The day Barry slung a bag full of stuff so he could go see his strange man, Iris stopped him. The stared for a while, and she sighed. 

“Barry, this is a mistake. That island is not safe. Its cursed! What if something happened to you?” She started to talk. Barry knew if he didn’t stop her now, she might talk him out of this.

“Iris, I have to go. I will be okay. Its just for a few days. I promise I will come back.” Barry smiled shyly and pulled the puppy dog eyes. 

“Barry,” Iris paused. “Please don’t.”

Barry shook his head and sighed. There was so much to say but Barry needed to go. He walked past Iris, placing his hand on her shoulder for a second before walking out of the house.

He got on the boat, slowly rowing into the lake and towards the island where the strange man stood with a curious gaze. It was farther than Barry thought and it took longer than he planned but as the sun set in the sky, the boat hit the sand shore of the island. And there, waiting on the shore was Barry’s stranger. 

Barry placed both feet firmly on the ground and a weird shock of electricity shot through his body. He pushed the feeling away as he walked to his stranger.

“Who are you?” Barry asked softly. The man smiled and moved forward.

“Hartley Rathaway.” They were now only inches away and Hartley wrapped his arms around Barry. “You shouldn’t have came Barry.”

Barry was slight stunned by he hint of sadness in the others voice. He searched Hartley’s eyes and saw the conflicting emotions swirling in his eyes. Barry just leaned forward and pressed their lips together.

***

Sometimes we would see them come out from the hidden interior of their island. We have no clue who they are or what they did or why they were there. But they were in love and seemed content. So we did what we always did, we forgot and ignored.


End file.
